


In Your Eyes

by Icetown (orphan_account)



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Best Friends, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-21 08:00:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6044109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Icetown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben and Leslie are next door neighbours and best friends. Both of them willing for the other one to make the first move.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Say Anything

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be writing this as a series of flashes over the course of their relationship. Title taken from the song 'In Your Eyes' by Peter Gabriel.

_Pawnee, 1993_

Ben's reading Jimmy Carters biography when Leslie enters his bedroom unannounced, as always.

“You really should learn to knock you know. I could’ve been getting changed”

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before” she teased, lying down on the bed next to him.

“Yeah I wish my mom hadn’t shown you those baby photos” he groaned placing the book on his nightstand and resuming his position next to her on the bed. She giggled into his side and he put his arm around her shoulder.

“Can we watch a film?" 

“Sure, but first I need to tell you something” She sat up and her eyes widened.

“Oh my God. You’re ill” 

“Jesus Leslie, no. I’m not ill.” He sat up and looked at her head on. She sighed in relief. 

“Alright weirdo what’s up?”

“I’m running for office. Mayor actually” She gasped. For the first time in his life Ben wasn’t able to read her expression. Leslie wasn’t the person to get jealous but he guessed this was different. Leslie had dreamed of working in Government since she was 10 years old. He just hoped she wasn’t angry at him. Having lived next door to each other for 11 years they had definitely bumped heads a few times. That was when he was most miserable; when Leslie was angry at him. He could cope with his siblings resenting him, or even his parents, but not Leslie.

“Ben, that’s amazing”

“You think so?” 

“Yes. You would make a great mayor” She pulled him into a tight hug. When she broke away they were both smiling at each other. He was so happy in this moment. The way Leslie was looking at him like he could do anything. He realised he didn’t really care about actually becoming mayor, he just wanted make Leslie smile at him like that forever. In all of the years they’d known each other he’d never thought of Leslie as someone he would have romantic feelings towards. But right now she’d never looked more beautiful, and he couldn’t think of anyone else who he’d rather spend his time with. He was lost in her blue eyes when she began shaking his shoulder.

“Ben! You zoned out on me”

“Oh err yeah, right. I was thinking since…you know…you know your politics…maybe you could help me with my campaign?”

“Of course! Oh my God, I have so many ideas. I need a binder. I’ll run next door, I think I have a few spares” She got up to run out of the room, but Ben grabbed her by the wrist. “What is it?”

“Just wait” He pulled her back onto the bed. “We can do all of that stuff tomorrow. Right now I just want to sit with you and watch a film. Okay?” He realised he was still holding her wrist and without thinking he started rubbing circles with his thumb.

“Okay” She smiled and lay back down on the bed. “But I’m having your side of the bed, it’s closer to the TV”

“Sure” He didn’t care, usually Ben would protest about silly things like this. Then Leslie would tickle him and they would end up laughing in a heap on the bed, forgetting what it was they were arguing about. But right now he would give her anything she wanted. Do anything she asked. His feelings weren’t helping right now, so he pushed any and all romantic thoughts of Leslie to the back of his mind.

“Say anything?” He asked, grabbing the VHS off of the shelf, already knowing the answer to his question.

“Of course” _Say Anything_ was their favorite film, it was the first film they saw at the cinema together and it had become tradition to watch it periodically.

Ben settled onto the bed, lying next to her. He couldn’t see the TV screen from this side of the bed but he didn’t mind. It wasn’t the TV he was looking at right now.


	2. Boy Mayor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Leslie celebrates Ben's inauguration, she questions the nature of their relationship.

_4 months later_

Leslie runs up to Ben as soon as the inauguration is finished and holds him in a tight embrace.

“Oh my God! I’m so proud of you”

“Thanks Knope” They stay together for what is most certainly too long. But Leslie is so overjoyed in this moment that she can’t let go. Her best friend just became mayor of the greatest town in America. When she finally let’s go, Ben holds her forehead to his and smiles.

“You did it” She whispers.

“I couldn’t have done it without you”

“Yeah but-“

“Leslie. You worked so hard on my campaign. I know for a fact I wouldn’t be standing here right now if it wasn’t for you. No buts”

Accepting her defeat, she just smiles at him and tells him they’re going for victory waffles.

They both jump into his Saturn and for the whole drive there they sit in silence, but every so often, they take a glance at each other and smile. When they arrive JJ offers them free waffles as a congratulations.

“I can’t believe I’m eating waffles with the mayor of Pawnee”

“Are you going to stay that about everything today?” She nods with a huge grin on her face. “A minute ago you couldn’t believe you were in the mayor’s car. You’ve been in my Saturn a million times”

“But Beennn” She whined “You only have your first day as mayor once. So yes I am going to say it about every activity today. Oh! I almost forgot” She pulled a camera out of her bag and took a picture of a bewildered Ben. When he shrugged his shoulders she explained it was for her scrapbook. The corner of his lips curled into a smile, and he grabbed her hand from across the table.

“Seriously though, Leslie. Thank you so much for what you’ve done for me over the past few months”

“It wasn’t anything you wouldn’t have done for me” She knew she had him there. She’s very aware that Ben would do anything for her. In 8th grade, a boy was calling her names and when Leslie told Ben he immediately found him and punched him. Granted Ben got beaten up for it because he was very scrawny and weak at the time, but the thought was there. He just nodded and began eating his waffles.

“Oh, I meant to ask you. Do you know a Cindy Eckhart?”

Leslie froze at the mention of her name. Ben never spoke to her about girls. And she never spoke to him about boys, it was just the way their relationship was. It was taboo for them and always had been. She knew where the conversation was heading, she saw Cindy talking to Ben at the inauguration. She also knew that Cindy was self-centered and was only interested in Ben because he was popular now.

“She’s in a few of my classes, why?”

“She was talking to me today, wants to go out sometime. I don’t really know her though, what’s she like?” Ben didn’t look up from his waffles as either of them spoke, she guessed he could sense the awkwardness of the conversation.

“Erm, well…” Leslie couldn’t put words together. She didn’t like to think of Ben dating other girls. She’s never really thought about their relationship. She’d always avoided admitting her feelings for him, whilst simultaneously being extremely against him dating anyone. But she soon came to her senses and acknowledged the fact that she had a major crush on him. Feelings that weren’t exactly helping in this particular moment. “You know I don’t really know her either” She scrunched up her face “Sorry”

“No it’s alright. I mean…one date can’t hurt…I guess I’ve got nothing to lose, right” He said the words like it was a question. He even looked at her inquisitively, when Leslie just shrugged he sighed and his head dropped.

“Right” She suddenly felt empty and alone. It seemed that the positivity was temporary, not only for her but she could tell Ben seemed to have lost his glow too. Somebody was going to have to do something soon because they were both miserable. Ben had just become mayor of Pawnee and he still wasn’t happy.

Sensing Ben wanted to get home, she suggested that they leave shortly afterwards. When they parked on his driveway Ben halfhearted waved at Leslie and mumbled a goodbye.

When she walked through the door, she went straight to her room. Deciding to phone her beautiful tropical fish of a friend, Ann Perkins.

She didn’t even pause to allow Ann to say hello when she heard the phone answer “Ann, we have a serious code Ben”

“Oh, wow, okay. What happened?”

“He’s going out with Cindy Eckhart”

“Really?

“I know right” She sighed and fell onto her bed with a bounce. “What am I going to do Ann”

“I guess you have to tell him how you feel” She sighed into a pillow. “I know that’s not what you want to hear right now”

“No you’re right, as always”

The next time Leslie saw Ben was in the cafeteria the next day, surrounded by people asking him questions. Including Cindy Eckhart. Leslie walked up to the front of the crowd and whispered to Ben that she needed to speak to him.

“Err, yeah one second” As Ben continued telling his anecdote, she saw Cindy rubbing his thigh under the table and decided it would be best to just leave him to it. She understood that he was popular now and didn’t hang round with people like Leslie, but that didn’t mean it still didn’t hurt. A lot.


	3. Ben Wyatt: Human Disaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leslie's leaving for college tomorrow and Ben is regretting not doing something sooner.

“Leslie can we just talk for a minute” Ben sighed as she neglected to answer the question, she took the sweatshirt he WA s holding and threw it ferociously into her duffle bag. She WA s pacing around her room while Ben sat on her bed. “I know it’s selfish but I can’t lose you as well. I just can’t right now”

“Ben, what do you want me to say? You want me to ditch college? To stay here in Pawnee with you forever?”

He resisted the urge to say yes. He knew that wouldn't’t help. He was just so bummed out right now, first he got impeached, then he WA s dumped by his girlfriend, now his best friend told him she’s leaving for college in the morning. He WA s looking at the floor with his head in his hands, when he felt Leslie sit on the bed next to him and start rubbing his back.

“Ben, I know this is going to be hard, for the both of us. But I need to do this. This is what I want” He sat up and nodded at her, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. God, he WA s actually crying in Leslie Knope’s room. She WA s going to think he WA s an idiot. The last time he cried in her room was in 5th grade, he’d been picked on by some 7th graders on his way home, and his first instinct was to run to Leslie. His first instinct in most situations is to run to Leslie.

She pulled in him in for a tight hug and didn’t let go. She WA s squeezing on to him really quite tight, almost to the point of hurting. But he didn’t mind. “I’m going to miss you so much”.

“I know. I’m going to miss you too Knope” She pulled away and held his shoulders so he WA s facing her head on. He could see that she was on the verge of tears too. So he brushed her hair out of her face and wiped at her eyes, she breathed heavily and sank into his shoulder.

“I know this is shitty, but I don’t want to think about it right now” He nodded silently, waiting for her to tell him what she wanted. But she didn't, she just lay down on her bed, and pulled him with her. He lay down facing her back, with his face on her neck. To an innocent onlooker this would seem too intimate for two best friends in a platonic relationship. But they both needed this intimacy, considering they wouldn't be seeing each other every day after this night. They didn't speak for the rest of the night, both drifting in and out of sleep. When Ben woke up at 1.30AM he decided he should probably leave, but when he tried to stand up he felt her grab his arm and pull him back onto the bed.

“Stay. Please” She whispered. He waited for a moment weighing his options before deciding to lie back down with her.

“Okay” He put his face back to her neck and kissed her skin softly. He sighed in relief when she didn't acknowledge the overly intimate gesture. Instead she moved her arm round to behind her in search of his hand, he interlocked their fingers and they stayed like it for the rest of the night. He was probably going to regret it in the morning but he couldn't think of somewhere else he’d rather be.

\--

The next morning, they were both strangely silent. When they woke up Leslie hardly acknowledged Ben’s presence. He silently handed her clothes and she placed them into her bags. When their hands touched there was a weird energy in the room, they both looked at each other sheepishly and then quickly looked away and carried on with what they were doing. But Ben wasn't thinking about the moment they were in right now, his mind wandered to what he was going to do when she finally left, in 1 hour. He kept repeating that in his head, 1 hour. What he really wanted to do was kiss her, but he knew that it wouldn't change anything. Even if it made Leslie realise she wanted to be with him it wouldn't stop her from going to college. God he wished he’d done something sooner, all those months wasted with Cindy Eckhart. What was he thinking. And now it was too late. Leslie was going to live in Bloomington and he was stuck in Pawnee, with no career aspects and no college acceptances. You’d think putting that you were mayor of a town on your resume would help you get into college but apparently not.

After Leslie finished packing her things, making sure that she had enough binders and scrapbooks (15 binders seemed excessive to Ben but according to Leslie that was the bare minimum), they stood on her front steps. Whilst Marlene waited in the car. 

“Leslie, we’re going to be late if we don’t leave now”

“Yeah, just a second” She turned to face Ben, her blue eyes staring back at him. He'd never told her how pretty her eyes were. He’d never even told her she looked pretty. Or Beautiful, or stunning even. He’d wasted so much time. He pulled her in for a hug and she latched on to his back. His face in covered in her curly blonde locks, he breathed in and took note of the smell; wild flowers. When she pulled away his eyes glanced over every part of her body, memorising how she looked. How short her legs are but also curvy, in the best possible way. He wished he could place his hands there, they would fit together perfectly, he was sure of it. “I have to go”

He nodded and he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Pulling away quickly not to seem overly romantic. But then she stood on her tiptoes and grabbed his cheeks in her hands. Placing a warm, soft kiss on his lips. He kissed her back as he placed one hand in her hair and the other to her waist. When she pulled away he held their foreheads together, and he could see the tears in her eyes. He hated seeing her cry. Especially when it was his fault she was crying 

“Goodbye Ben” She whispered as he let go of her and she walked down the driveway.

He stood firmly rooted in his spot, he couldn't seem to move. He watched the car pull off the drive and he could see Leslie staring back at him from the passenger seat, her hand pressed against the glass. 2 days ago he thought he’d hit rock bottom, but he was wrong. This. This was rock bottom.


	4. Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leslie returns from college, Ben decides whether he should see her or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. I had real trouble with this chapter, I had to rewrite it a couple of times. I'm still not completely sure about it - but there you go.

Ben got up from the dinner table, taking his plate of untouched food with him.

“I’m going to eat in my room”

“Okay honey. Oh, Ben, I forgot to tell you” He turned back to face his mom.

“Huh”

“Leslie’s coming back from college tonight. Marlene said that they’re throwing a party. She wants you to be there” It was weird to hear her name said out loud after all this time.

“Oh right...um, okay”

“I think you should go”

“Yeah maybe”

“Ben, you should see her” He could have guessed this was coming. After Leslie had left, his family had tried everything to cheer him up, including attempting to force him into seeing Leslie. But it was a lost cause. Ben figured that if she wanted to see him she would have asked. He knew what Leslie was like, and if she wanted something she made it pretty clear.

“Mom, it’s not that simple-”

“Alright” She held her hands up “I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I will say that I bet she’d love to see you” He nodded and sauntered upstairs to his room. He put his dinner on his nightstand and lay down on his bed. He would love to see her. He missed her like crazy. He’d dreamt about her near enough every night since she left. But what would he even say? 3 years is a long time. She could be a completely different person now. After 2 hours of deliberation he decided he should just go for it, right? What has he got to lose? He put on a plaid shirt and his favorite Harrington jacket, looked at himself in the mirror and took a deep breath.

“Hey mom. What time was that thing for Leslie?” He shouted downstairs

“Marlene said it was starting at 7”

He turned to look at his bedside clock; 9.08PM. That was late enough he thought. He told his mom he was going next door and exited the house.

When he walked into the Knope household everything was different. All the furniture had been moved, and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like the unfamiliarity. He kept his head low as he moved around the house looking for Leslie. It was full of people he didn’t recognise. He saw Ann chatting to someone in the corner of the room. She smiled and waved to him, he returned the gesture but made no effort to stop to talk. He could feel the butterflies forming in his stomach. God, he’d never felt this nervous about anything.

“Ben” He turned to see Marlene standing behind him and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Hey, Mrs. Griggs Knope”

“It’s good to see you”

“You too. Um…Do you know where Leslie is?”

“Yeah sure, follow me” He followed Marlene through the house towards the garden. “You know she hasn’t stopped speaking about you all day”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh, after she found out I invited you she wouldn’t stop asking questions”

“Oh right. So is she out here” Marlene nodded and left Ben at the backdoor. He walked out into the garden, but he couldn’t see a single person out there.

“I didn’t think you were going to show up” He turned around quickly to see Leslie sitting on the steps of the back porch nursing a beer.

“Holy shit Leslie, you scared me to death” She smiled and patted the space next to her on the steps. Ben sat down, he began to speak but didn’t know what it is that he wanted to say. Thankfully she broke the awkward silence.

“I’m glad my mom invited you”

“Yeah, me too” He looked down at the ground “So um…how’s everything…with you” He scorned himself for his ridiculous attempt at small talk. But Leslie didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m doing okay, you?”

“I’m okay. I’m…I’m good now that I’ve seen you” He smiled at her but she didn’t look up from the patch of grass in front of her. “Leslie, why are you sitting out here on your own?”

“I’m not really in the mood for a party right now”

“Oh…okay. I mean…I can go if you want-“

“No. You should stay. I was just starting to feel better actually” She finally smiled at him but Ben could tell that there was something not quite right. He hadn’t seen her for 3 years but he could still read Leslie Knope like a book.

“Leslie I’m so sorry”

“What for?”

“The past 3 years” He felt constricted so he stood up and started pacing along the porch. “You’re my best friend and I haven’t been there for you like I should have. And…fuck, you shouldn’t even be speaking to me right now. And I wouldn’t be surprised if wanted to cut me out of your life all together” He looked at Leslie and she looked bewildered.

“Ben, it’s not…this was just as much my fault as it was yours. This works both ways”

He rubbed his hand through his hair and sighed heavily. How was she this understanding? He’d snubbed her for Cindy Eckhart, told her she shouldn’t fulfil her dream of going to college and then not spoken to her for 3 years. He really was an ass. An ass that didn’t deserve how forgiving she was to him.

“Do you…maybe…want to get out of here?” She asked looking up at him, a smile playing on her lips. A real one this time, it didn’t seem forced in the slightest.

“Sure” She walked over to him, grabbed his hand and pulled him through the party. Leslie didn’t drop his hand when they got outside, instead she lead him to Bens driveway and got into his Saturn. Ben was bemused but followed and started the ignition. Without even thinking he drove them to Ramsett Park. It seemed like the right thing to do, they always went there together as children. Leslie appeared happy enough with the destination as she exited the car without saying a word. He turned off the car and followed her down the path that lead to a band stand. He watched from the grass as she walked up the steps toward the center of the wooden feature. She looked back over her shoulder toward him.

“Aren’t you coming?” She asked with a smile playing on her lips.

He nodded vigorously and walked up to her. When he was a few feet away from her he stopped to take her in, his eyes washing over every detail. Venturing from her feet up to her face. She was wearing black heels, that made her the same height as him. He wished she wasn’t, he liked how small she was, he wished she didn’t feel the need to hide it. She was wearing a cute, red dress that she looked amazing in. He’d always loved her in red. He noticed that her lipstick matched her outfit, his eyes quickly flicked up to her bright, blue eyes. But soon went back to her lips. He inched forward, as did she. His breathing quickened, and he noticed Leslie’s chest was heaving too. When their lips were centimeters apart Ben quickly closed the gap and his lips landed on hers. He waited for her to respond, which she did quickly, before moving his hands to cup her face. He felt her squeeze his butt, making him grin.

“I’ve missed you” Ben kissed her neck while she caught her breath.

“Are you talking to me or my butt?” The vibrations of her laughter made him smile.

“Both”

He missed her lips desperately. So he made his way back to her face, but not before kissing her earlobe and then her jawline. Which made her shudder. As he began kissing her again he realised his hardening crotch was quite blatantly pressing into her thigh. He looked down between them, then she giggled and pulled away.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to be…” He trailed off now knowing exactly how to put it. But Leslie didn’t seem to mind, instead she lay down on the wooden floor, looking up at the ceiling of the band stand. He joined her, but instead of laying on his back, he turned onto his side, playing with her loose strands of hair.

“Ben” She’d turned onto her side too now, looking him in the eyes. “Promise me we won’t ever do that again”  
“Do what?”

“Not speak to each other”

“I promise” He must’ve looked disheartened, because Leslie could tell something was wrong.

“What is it?” He sighed and rubbed his forehead. He wasn’t planning on telling her tonight, but he also wasn’t planning on kissing her tonight.

“I have a job”

“Okay”

“Working for the state”

“Oh…But, that’s good, right?”  
“I guess, but it means I’ll have to do a lot of travelling. And…I…I won’t be living in Pawnee anymore”

“You’re leaving” She looked completely distraught. God, why did he have to ruin everything.  
“Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner”

“No, it’s okay…I…I guess now it’s my turn to do the waiting” God she really was the most selfless person in the world. He really didn’t deserve her.

She slid over towards him and nestled into his chest, with her hand draped over him. He grabbed her hand and wished that he never had to let go. But the universe had other plans for him apparently.


End file.
